IMDb > Rhapsody in Blue (1945)
Rhapsody in Blue
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Rhapsody in Blue (1945) More at IMDbPro »

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Rhapsody in Blue (1945) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

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Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   411 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 10% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Irving Rapper

Writers:

Howard Koch (writer)
Sonya Levien (story)
more

Contact:

View company contact information for Rhapsody in Blue on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

22 September 1945 (USA) more

Tagline:

The jubilant story of George Gershwin.

Plot:

Composer George Gershwin is driven by his need to succeed. Unfortunately his drive destroys his romantic relationships with singer Julie Adams... more | add synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. more

NewsDesk:
(5 articles)

DreamWorks Orchestrating Biopic on Composer George Gershwin
 (From FirstShowing.net. 29 October 2009, 7:40 AM, PDT)

DreamWorks Sets Its Sights on George Gershwin Biopic
 (From MovieWeb. 28 October 2009, 5:47 PM, PDT)

User Comments:

Each scene of the movie has the rhythm of Gershwin's music. more (24 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Robert Alda ... George Gershwin

Joan Leslie ... Julie Adams

Alexis Smith ... Christine Gilbert
Charles Coburn ... Max Dreyfus
Julie Bishop ... Lee Gershwin
Albert Bassermann ... Prof. Franck
Morris Carnovsky ... Poppa Morris Gershwin
Rosemary DeCamp ... Momma Rose Gershwin
Oscar Levant ... Himself
Paul Whiteman ... Himself

Al Jolson ... Himself
George White ... Himself
Hazel Scott ... Herself
Anne Brown ... Herself - as Bess
Herbert Rudley ... Ira Gershwin
more
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Additional Details

Runtime:

135 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

The characters played respectively by Alexis Smith, Joan Leslie, and Albert Bassermann are fictional. There was no love triangle between Gershwin and the two women, and Gershwin's music teacher did not die the night that "Rhapsody in Blue" premiered. The scene in which Gershwin is fired by the music publisher for playing his own music is also fictional. However, most of the other characters in the film did exist, including Max Dreyfus, and Anne Brown, who played Bess in the original "Porgy and Bess" is still alive ca. early 2009. more

Goofs:

Factual errors: In Max Dreyfus' office, Oscar Levant while looking at Georges' score of "Swanee" hums a perfect forth (D down to A) and says, "A diminished 9th." In the next scene Max Dreyfus also refers to the uniqueness of a diminished 9th. In Swanee there is no diminished 9th. There are enharmonic equivalents ie. a C# melody against a Db bass which sounds like a diminished 9th. It is acually a sharped major 7th. The interval of a diminished 9th ie. (C up to Dbb or C# up to Db)does not happen in Swanee. Both a diminished 9th and an enharmonic equivalent will sound like a perfect octave when played eight notes apart. more

Quotes:

Oscar Levant: If I had your talent, I'd be a pretty obnoxious fella. What do you call yourself?
George Gershwin: George Gershwin, it's my real name.
Oscar Levant: Mine's Oscar Levant. I'm thinking of changing it.
more

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Broadway: The American Musical" (2004) more

Soundtrack:

Somebody Loves Me more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
10 out of 13 people found the following comment useful.
Each scene of the movie has the rhythm of Gershwin's music., 18 March 2000
8/10
Author: Rosemea D.S. MacPherson from US

Rhapsody in Blue, is a true black and white American classic. I bought the tape because of the title, which is one of the pieces written by George Gershwin. I had the privilege of going to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and xeroxing some of Gershwin's hand written sheet music with his own signature in it. Wow! Just like he signs his name in the movie. The movie starts with his and his brother, Ira's, childhood, when they get the piano for Ira to play. Turned out that George became the pianist and Ira the lyricist. George never married but the movie is a love story between George and singer "Julie Adams" Joan Leslie (Yankee Doodle Dandy), who truly loved him. He was also romantically involved with Alexis Smith "Christine Gilbert" (The Age of Innocence). She was a socialite painter who lived in Paris. George would have married Julie, but he somehow was married to his music and ended up never marrying Julie, due to his early death. Each scene of the movie has the rhythm of Gershwin's music and the music played is a piece which corresponds that period of his life. To my surprise Al Jolson plays himself where he sings and dances. Remember him the guy that Warner Brothers decided to star him in their first partly-talking-picture, "The Jazz Singer" in 1927. The two Gershwin's had a wonderful relationship with their parents and Ira became their parent's caretaker because George traveled a lot. I love the fact that "George Gershwin" is played by Robert Alda (Imitation of Life), a great actor and singer and also father one of my favorite actors Alan Alda (M.A.S.H., Same Time, Next Year). Talent runs in the families in the cases at hand, (the Aldas and the Gershwins) and Robert and Alan Alda they looked a lot alike. This is a must see for anybody to see, specially Gershwin fans such as myself. It has an imaginable body of their work in this movie, their music is vibrant and happy. Favorite Scenes: Gershwin's parents getting their first piano to their apartment I believe up to the sixth floor of the building where they lived. George getting fired when he meets Julie because he gives her his own work to sing. Favorite Quotes: Ira: "Good Night Mr.Music." George: "Thank you Mr. Words." George: "It is only with music that I can prove my right to live." Dad Gershwin to George: "Take time to be happy, George." This is a great old fashion movie I think that you will love it as I have.

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